The Middlesex RFU Senior Cup is an annual
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the Comparison of rugby league and rugby union, two codes of ru ...
knock-out club competition organised by the
Middlesex Rugby Football Union
Middlesex Rugby is the governing body for rugby union in Middlesex, England; Middlesex is a historic county of England that covers areas in the ceremonial counties of Greater London, Surrey and Hertfordshire. The historic county is still in us ...
. It was first introduced during the 1971–72 season, with the inaugural winners being
Saracens
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...
. It is the most important cup competition organised by the Middlesex RFU ahead of the
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game played annually in late January or early February in Mobile, Alabama, which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those players who have completed their college eligibility. ...
and
Senior Vase. The cup was originally open to all sides in
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbourin ...
, including such illustrious names as
Harlequins,
Saracens
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...
and
Wasps
A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...
, but after the 1986–87 season and the incorporation of the
Courage Leagues the cup was for limited to the smaller clubs in the county (what were considered 'junior' sides).
The Senior Cup is currently open to the top 8 club sides based in the historic county of Middlesex (London/
Greater London
Greater may refer to:
* Greatness, the state of being great
*Greater than, in inequality
* ''Greater'' (film), a 2016 American film
* Greater (flamingo), the oldest flamingo on record
* "Greater" (song), by MercyMe, 2014
* Greater Bank, an Austra ...
) that typically play between tiers 6–7 of the
English rugby union league system – although only 5 sides entered during the 2016–17 competition. The format is a knockout cup with a first round, semi-finals and a final to be held at one of the finalist's home ground between March–June.
Middlesex Senior Cup winners
Number of wins
*
Wasps
A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder. Th ...
(8)
*
Ealing Trailfinders
Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club is an English professional rugby union club based in West London. The club's first team are the current champions of the RFU Championship but will remain in that league due to ineligibility for promotion to Premi ...
(7)
*
Staines (7)
*
CS Rugby 1863 (4)
*
Ruislip
Ruislip ( ) is an area in the London Borough of Hillingdon in West London, and in the historic county of Middlesex. Ruislip lies west-north-west of Charing Cross, London.
The manor of Ruislip appears in the Domesday Book, and some of the ear ...
(4)
*
Saracens
upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens
Saracen ( ) was a term used in the early centuries, both in Greek and Latin writings, to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Romans as Arabia Pe ...
(4)
*
London Nigerian (3)
*
Chiswick
Chiswick ( ) is a district of west London, England. It contains Hogarth's House, the former residence of the 18th-century English artist William Hogarth; Chiswick House, a neo-Palladian villa regarded as one of the finest in England; and ...
(2)
*
Metropolitan Police (2)
*
Harlequins (1)
*
Finchley (1)
*
Rosslyn Park (1)
*
Twickenham
Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the borou ...
(1)
Notes
See also
*
Middlesex RFU
*
Middlesex Senior Bowl
*
Middlesex Senior Vase
*
English rugby union system
Men's Rugby union in England consists of 106 leagues, which includes professional leagues at the highest level, down to amateur regional leagues. Promotion and relegation are in place throughout the system.
Women's Rugby union in England cons ...
*
Rugby union in England
Rugby union in England is one of the leading professional and recreational team sports. In 1871 the Rugby Football Union, the governing body for rugby union in England, was formed by 21 rugby clubs, and the first international match, which invol ...
References
External links
Middlesex RFU
{{Rugby union in England
Recurring sporting events established in 1971
1971 establishments in England
Rugby union cup competitions in England
Sport in London
Rugby union in Middlesex